Delivering the Soul
Created
September 17, 2006
Media
Acrylic on Paper
Size
A3
Orientation
Portrait
Delivering the Soul
This design is very spiritual in nature and deals with the beginning of death. When one dies, the task of the soul separating from the body is very strenuous. To ease this process, one tradition is to put special water around their mouth at the funeral, or on their deathbed, (called the Final Water.)
Not having this done may have been unintentional due to lack of knowledge, or because the person died alone, or passed in a matter that wouldn’t allow for this ceremony to take place. If the person who passed doesn’t get this water, their soul can get lost in the struggle and not be able to move on toward the light and find their heaven.
To help them finally be able to rest in peace, this music and art brings that missing Final Water from the Ocean God at the bottom of the sea up to the God/Angel who greets the soul after it leaves the body, on behalf of the soul who has passed. Thus enabling the soul to be given it’s next direction. This is based on some Buddhist and Shinto beliefs, as well as beliefs from other Western or ancient cultures.
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Inspiration
Situation
It is also for those who are on their deathbed. The “Final Water” must be delivered by someone who is still alive. In other words, it cannot be delivered from the other side by a spirit that has already passed. If you know someone is in their final day or hours, this spiritual art can give them what they need to make their transition easier.
Notes
The ocean god that I refer to above is called “Sumiyoshi Daijin“.